Buckshot shells for shotguns



y 2, 1964 G. v. SCHAFER 3,132,588

BUCKSHOT SHELLS FOR SHOTGUNS Filed Oct. 16, 1962 INVENTOR 20 /8 c /6 GERALD M SCHAFER Mm-Kw AT'roRNmg United States Patent Qfifice v 3,132,588 r a BUCKSHOT SHELLS FOR SHGTGUNS Gerald VJSchafer, 658 S. Edge Park Drive, Haddonfield,

'N.J., assignor of one-half to John B. Kelly, Haddonfield Borough, Camden County, NJ.

Filed Oct. 16, 1962, Set. No. 230,811 13 Claims. 01. 1 02-42 "Thisiinvefntion relates to buckshot shells for shotguns to means carried by the shells for improving the function ng of the buckshot and of the shotguns, loaded I with'the shells, when fired.

important object of the invention is to provide buckshot shells for shotguns which shells contain means for improving the'buckshot patterns. For example, patpected at 40 yards, .with other spreads in proportion. Another important object of the invention is to provide buckshot .shells for shotguns-which shells contain the .means as above, which also function to increase velocity terns with an average spread of 15 inches can be ex I Patented May 12, 1964 2 FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one form of patterned body.

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view, substantially on the line 44 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another form of a patwads in position as being propelled therethrough.

by aligning the buckshot in such manner that the friction between the buckshot and the shell case and the friction between the buckshot and the gunbarrel. are reduced. Still another important object of the invention isto provide buckshot shells for shotguns which shells contain the means referred .to above which also aids in effective penetration of the buckshot because the spherical shot is less distortedduring, its passage through the shotgun barrel than is the case When using conventional shotgun shells.

' In addition an important object of the invention is to provide buckshot shells containing means as above which,

A for a given velocity, lower the breech pressure in the shot- 1 FIG; 1 is an elevational view gun during propellant combustion.

,fStill another important object is to provide shotgun ,shells'asabove, the use of which will cause less recoil of the shotgun for a given velocity.

i I am aware of shells containing small granules of various substances mixed with or in which relatively fine shot is imbedded, but not in any regular pattern, as well as shells in which the shot is adhesively held together, or in whichfprojectiles of cylindrical shape are separatedso' thatfwhen fired they are said to take spiral paths within a. gun barrel and not fuse together, but these are not'the shells. of my invention, since the shells I provide are prefera bly adapted to contain buckshot of substantially spherical shape and of a relatively large size, such as the shot commonly known as No. 0 buck, of about .30 caliber (althoughlarger caliber shot may be used) and the individual shot separated one from another in a regular patterni'transversely and longitudinally of the shell casing with alayer, as two of the shot, in substantially the same horizontal plane (when the shellisup'ended) but not in the same vertical planes as those ofithe two shot in the next adjacent layer.

.:Ani:additional important object is to provide articles of manufacture which are termed herein as patterned bodies for insertion in the buckshot shell casings in order.

to provide the means referred to heretofore invthis specification.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specificatiomand in which drawing: V j

of one form of the buckshot shell of the invention, with parts of the casing broken away in order to reveal buckshot and patterned bodies therein.

i FIGaZ is a horizontal sectional view, substantially on the line 22 of FIG. 1.

In the-drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration are shown several embodiments of the invention and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, two forms A and B, respectively, of the buckshot shell .for shotguns and four forms C, D, E and F, respectively, of the patterned bodies are shown. The letter G designates a shotgun.

Both forms A and B of the, shells are alike, except for the specific patterned body included, and similar reference characters will be used to designate the like parts of both shells.

m The shells A and B each include a casing 10, having a substantially cylindrical tubular side wall 11 with the outer end portion thereof preferably folded inwardly in order to provide aclosure 12 as is well known in the'art.

The casing may be of waxed paper, cardboard or the like. The shells A and B may also include a rear end cap 13 which may be of metal andattached to the rear end portion of the side wall'll and carry a conventional detonating means 14.

' In communication with the detonating means 14 is a supply of suitable propellant, as powder 15, filling a portion of the casing and retained by wadding', such as the wads 16 and 17. ,All of the foregoing is conventional construction, well known in the art.

Buckshot 18 for use is preferably thatcommonly known as No. 0 buck of about .30 caliber. Larger buckshot may be used. The buckshot is substantially spherical, and is disposed in regular patterns within the casings'10, as may be appreciated from FIGS. 1,12 and 4, or FIG. 6 or FIG; 8. That is, for example, two of the buckshot 18 are arranged with their centers substantially 180 apart within the casing and at the same level or horizontal plane (considering the shell A or B as upstanding upon its end cap 13)with the two buckshot 18 of the next level also substantially 180 apart, both in the same horizontal plane, but in vertical planes with their vertical axes spaced 90' form the vertical axes of the first mentioned two buckshot 18. This pattern of spacing of the buckshot may be repeated, from the closure 12 to adjacent the' wad 17, throughout the casing 10.

The buckshot 18 are retained in the positions described above by the patterned bodies.

in FIG. 3, the same includes a shell side wall-contacting arcuate face 20 adapted to engage a portion of the inner face'of the side wall 11. From each lateral edge 21 of the face 20 extends a buckshot-contacting face 22, with thetwo faces 22 convergingsoas to join one another as at the juncture 23 which may bean edge of somewhat less height. than the width of the face 20. Defined by the edges 24 of-the face 20 and'the edges 25 of the faces 22 are buckshot-receiving concavities 26. Thus, each patterned body C has two of these concavities 26 By way of example, the length of the arcuate face 20 may be substantially W inch, its width substantially /4 inch, the edges 25 each inch, the edge 23 substantially inch.

The size and depth of the concavities 26 are such as to receive. a portion of the buckshot, substantially as may be seen in FIGS. 2 or 4. r

The patterned bodies D differ from the patterned bodies C in the provision of curved or concave faces 22' and a narrow curved edge 23, in place of the edge 23, for the juncture of the faces 22 of the patterned body D, where faces and edges similar to those of the patterned body C aredesignated by like numerals followed by an exponent.

FIG. 7 illustrates a cellular form of patterned body, designated as E, and similar reference numerals,'f0llowed by the exponent are employed for corresponding parts of the forms C and D. I

FIG. 8 illustrates, by way of example, a form F of patterned body which is provided with a dimple or minor concavity 27 in each of its facesv corresponding to the faces 22 of the form C. Otherwise, the form F'is preferably like the form C. The exponent will be employed'for parts of the patterned body form F equivalent to these or the other forms.

The patterned bodies C, D, E and F may be made of any suitable material which has some degree of resiliency for cushioning the buckshot, is readily moulded or stamped to shape, is inexpensive and not apt to disintegrate upon firing of the shell in which it is encased. Such materialsmay be shell wadding felt, compacted and held together with any suitable adhesive such'as glue. They may also be constructed of stout cardboard, resinssuch as polyethylene, or nylon.

After the wadding is in place within the open-ended shell casing 10, two of the patterned bodies are placed, with their junctures 23, 23', or 23" facing and their faces 20, 20, 20" or 20', as the case may be, in contact with the inner face of the casing side wall 11. Two buckshot 18 are then disposed so as to lie between opposite faces 22 of the two patterned bodies in a somewhat wedged relation therewith and disposed substantially 180 apart. Two more of thepatterned bodies, with their face junctures 23, 23, 23" or 23", as the case may be, facing one another are then positioned with the concavities enclosing the upper portions of the two buckshot, then two more of the buckshot are disposed in the wedged relation, and so on until the shell is fully. loaded, whereupon the closure 12 is folded over the outermost two buckshot.

It should be borne in mind that there is no need to ascertain which concave face of the patterned body is upper most or lowermostv since both of these particular faces are alike. This permits a faster loading of the shell. The dimples or minor concavities 27 are adapted to receive a small portion of the buckshot as is obvious.

FIG. 9 illustrates how the patterned bodies and buckshot (together with the wads) pass through the barrel 40 of the shotgun F. It'will be seen that, whilethe arcuate" faces, such as the faces 20- of the patterned bodies C may have some limited sliding contact with the inner surface 41 of the 'gunbarrel, the buckshotare'cradled on and disposed between the patterned bodies. Neither are they scattered during passage through the barrel nor impinge on one another and become fused together or deform one another. Although some sliding contact may occur between buckshot and the gun barrel, especially when going through the choke 42, no undue lateral force is extended. Obviously, the buckshot remains in its initially disposed place during the life of the unfired shell,

since the patterned bodies, unlike fine or coarse materials in which shot is imbedded, do not move about while in the shells. The buckshot and patterned bodies, being in a compact mass as they travel through the gunbarrel do not permit the buckshot to spin during such travel. Spinning tends to cause shot to yaw or its path to assume a curve.

.What has been said about the spacing of the buckshot 4, 18 from each other while in the shotgun barrel is characteristic of the buckshot within the casing 10 and spaced from each other in a positively spaced-apart pattern.

While there is illustrated two buckshot per layer, this number may be increased. The inside diameter of a l2-gauge barrel, for instance, at the end of the choke portion, is approximately .720 inch. If two buckshot per layer are used each buckshot would be approximately .360 inch. If three buckshot per layer are used the three' buckshot would be of such a .diameter that they would fit snugly in a .720 inch circle.

As described previously, with the exception of the first two inserted buckshot, a patterned body is disposed under each buckshot. The buckshot of each succeeding layer rest on the patterned body of the preceding layer, the result being that buckshot never rest on buckshot but always rest on or between patterned bodies. Each buckshot, except the first two inserted buckshot, is cradled as on a cushion and all are disposed between patterned bodies. Each cradled buckshot is lifted as by a cushion and in turn lifts the patterned body ahead, each buckshot is thus held in a parallel course in its flight along the gun barrel and tends to hold this parallel course in flight after leaving the muzzle, giving smaller and more compact patterns than are obtained without the use of the patterned bodies.

It will be noted, such as in FIGS. 3, 5, 7 and 8, that the width of the wall 20, 20', 20", or 20", as the case may be, is greater than thewidth of either face 22, 22', 22 or 22", as the case may be, so that the buckshot have a tendency, due to this, to move slightly toward each other (but not contact each other) whereby they do not tend to forcibly contact and push outwardly the side wall of the shell as one after another buckshot is inserted in the shell while loading since the weight of the large buckshot in the loaded shell is considerable, as is obvious;

While the patterned bodies of FIGS. 3, 5' and 8 are of solid material, they may be cellular. One example of such cellular construction is shown in FIG. 7. This provides a patterned body normally lighter in weight than the patterned bodies of FIGS. 3 and 5, which is an advantage in some cases.

' Considering the size of the buckshot and the patterned bodies, the shells may be readily and correctly loaded by hand with the buckshot and patterned bodies.

Various changes in the size, shape andarrangement of parts may be made to the forms of the invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

l. Buckshot shell for shotguns, said shell including'a casing, buckshot propellant and a plurality ofbuckshot within the casing; a plurality of means, one for each buckshot, within said casing for positively and individually separating each of said buckshot, one from another; and wadding between said propellant and said means.

2 Buckshot shell according to claim 1 characterized in that said means comprises aplurality of resilient bodies, one for each buckshot, and each of the same shape.

. 3. Buckshot shell according to claim 2 characterized in that each of. said bodies has a face contacting the wall of said casing and a buckshot-receiving seat spaced from within said casing, a plurality of means, one for each buckshot, within said casing for positively separating each of said buckshot and individually, one from another, with said buckshot and said means disposed in equally spaced apart layers, of at least two buckshot and of at least two I 6. Buckshot shell according to claim l of said means, transversely of said casing, and wadding 4 between said propellant and said means.

I characterized in that said casing is elongate, said buckshot of one of said 1 "layers are disposed with an axis of each substantially par- 1 'alleling the longitudinal axis of said casing and said axis of each of the. buckshot of one layer being offset from said axis of the buckshot of the nextlayer.

f7, Buckshot shell for shotguns, said shell including a casing, buckshot propellant and a plurality of buckshot tvveen said propellant and said means.

" 8. Asan article of manufacture a patterned body for separating substantially spherical buckshot, one from another, in a. substantially cylindrical shotgun shell casing, said body having an arcuate casing wall-contacting face,

a pair ofbuckshot contacting faces, converging together vfrom the ends of, said arcuate face, and a buckshot re-' 1 "ceiving'concavity with its mouth defined arcuate face and a pair of faces. 1 9..-The article of manufacture according to claim 8 .,characterized in that said article is of cellular construction with the cells thereof spaced from said faces.

by edges of said 1 I 10. As an" article of manufacture a patterned body of resilient material for separating substantially spherical buckshot, one from another, in a substantially cylindrical shotgun shell casing, said body having an arcuate casing wallrcontacting face, a pair of buckshot contacting faces, converging-together from the ends of said arcuate face, and a buckshot receiving concavity with its mouth defined by edges of said arcuate face and said pair of faces.

11. As an article of manufacture a patterned body-for separating substantially spherical buckshot, one from: another, in a substantiallycylindrical shotgun shell casing, said body having an arcuate casing wall-contacting face, a pair of buckshot contacting faces, converging together from the ends of said arcuate face, and a buckshot receiving concavity 'With' its mouth defined by edges of said arcuate face and said pair of faces, thewidth of'said pair of faces being less than the-Width of said arcuate face, whereby said buckshot received by said concavity will tend to rollaway from said edge of said arcuate face while said shell is being loaded.

12.'The article of manufacture according to claim l1 characterized in that said pair of faces arelongitudinally curved, whereby toreceive portions of buckshotthereagainst;

A 13. As an article of manufacture apatterned'b ody for separating substantially spherical buckshot, one from another, in a substantially cylindrical shotgun shell casing,

said body having an arcuate casing wall-contactingface, a pair of buckshot contactingtfaces, converging together from the ends of said arcuate face and each provided with a dimple, whereby a portion of a buckshot may be accommodated therein, and abuckshot receiving concavity with its mouth definedby edges of said arcuate face and said pair of faces.

References Citie'd in the tile of this patent .UNITED STATES PATENTS 17,287 Lin-dner May 12, 1857 175,400 Wilkinson 1 Mar. 28,1876 1,388,503 Ayer Aug. 23, 1921 3,059,578 Hegge et a1. Oct. 23, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 209,009 Great Britain Ian. '3, 1924 1,124,740

France July 2, 1956 

1. BUCKSHOT SHELL FOR SHOTGUNS, SAID SHELL INCLUDING A CASING, BUCKSHOT PROPELLANT AND A PLURALITY OF BUCKSHOT WITHIN THE CASING; A PLURALITY OF MEANS, ONE FOR EACH BUCKSHOT, WITHIN SAID CASING FOR POSITIVELY AND INDIVIDU- 